Men's Ice Hockey 10/20/2026 2:00:00 PM

2026-27 Season Preview: Men's Ice Hockey

The chase for the Conference of New England (CNE) men’s ice hockey crown begins anew as the 2026-27 season gets underway October 30, with conference play opening November 6. Defending champion Endicott and reigning regular-season champion University of New England return decorated cores, while challengers across the league bring experienced leaders, promising newcomers and fresh ambition to the ice. Below is a look at the programs preparing to make their mark this winter.

Curry College
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster (Returners: 18 | Graduated: 11 | Newcomers: 9)
2025–26 Results: 16-9-1 (13-6-1 CNE) | 2025–26 Postseason Finish: CNE Quarterfinals

The Curry College men's ice hockey team enters the 2026–27 season looking to build on a successful campaign under head coach Pete Roundy, who begins his sixth season behind the bench. The Colonels finished last season with a 16-9-1 overall record, including a 13-6-1 mark in Conference of New England play. Curry scored 101 goals across 26 contests, highlighted by a 3-1 road victory over nationally ranked No. 7 University of New England.

The Colonels return several key offensive contributors, led by senior Victor Daigneault, who recorded four goals and a team-high 15 assists for 19 points last season. Junior Mason Kesselring also returns after registering 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists), while sophomore Jett Otwell looks to build on a productive debut campaign in which he tallied six goals and eight assists for 14 points. Curry also welcomes transfers from Albertus Magnus College and Anna Maria College, adding experience to the lineup.
On the blue line, senior Ryan Prewitt returns after appearing in all 26 contests last season, recording 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) and 19 blocked shots. Junior Shane Carr also brings experience to the defensive unit after contributing five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 23 appearances.

Between the pipes, junior Cameron Smith returns after leading Curry with nine victories and 308 saves last season. The Colonels also welcome a transfer from Manhattanville College who earned United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Goaltender of the Year honors during the 2024–25 campaign, adding another accomplished presence to the goaltending rotation.

With a strong returning core and several impactful additions, Curry will look to build on last season's success and compete for a Conference of New England championship in 2026–27.
The Colonels open the 2026–27 campaign on the road against Plymouth State University on Friday, October 30, before beginning Conference of New England play with a two-game series against Roger Williams University on November 6 and 7.

Endicott College
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster (returners: 23 | graduated: 10 | newcomers: 13)
2025-26 Results (21-4-3, 14-3-3 CNE) | 2025-26 Overall Stats | 2025-26 Postseason Finish: CNE Champions, NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals

The Endicott men’s ice hockey team opens up its 2026-27 season on the road against the University of Southern Maine on Friday, October 30 at 7 PM. The Gulls bring back all five all-conference honorees from last season's championship winning squad, including CNE Goaltender of the Year, CNE Rookie of the Year, USCHO Division III National Rookie of the Year and CCM/AHCA Third-Team All-American Peter Sterling. Endicott takes on two programs (University of New England and Salve Regina) who made the NCAA Tournament last season. The Blue and Green finished last season ranked No. 6 in the final USCHO Division III poll and will start the season ranked No. 7. Endicott will attempt to win its sixth conference championship in program history.

The Johnson & Wales University men’s ice hockey team enters the 2026-27 season looking to build on last year’s CNE Tournament appearance under head coach Eric Graham. The Wildcats return their top five point producers, led by senior forward Connor Nelson, who paced the team with 15 goals and 20 points. Junior defenseman Joseph Sciabarra contributed two goals and a team-high 12 assists, while sophomores Roman Wainwright and Zachary Brady each recorded 13 points.

Junior forward Cullen Hennessy adds another experienced offensive option after registering four goals and eight assists last season. Senior defensemen Joe Freeman, Ryan Walsh and Cooper Betancourt provide experience on the blue line, while senior goaltender Jake Inzirillo returns after making 661 saves with a .909 save percentage. The newcomers include transfers Micaiah Bascombe from Roger Williams and Avery Rovira-Hewett from Elmira.

The Wildcats open the season Friday, October 30, at Saint Joseph (Conn.) before hosting the Blue Jays the following afternoon at Lynch Arena. JWU begins CNE play November 6 at home against Nichols, opening a two-game conference series with the Bison.

Nichols College
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster (returners: 24 | graduated: 3 | newcomers: 9)
2025-26 Results (11-15-1, 7-12-1 CNE) | 2025-26 Overall Stats | 2025-26 Postseason Finish: CNE Semifinal

The Nichols men’s ice hockey team returns to Levy Rink and will look to make the playoffs again for their fourth year in a row under head coach Alex Gacek. Liam Barnicle and Dylan Knox return this year as assistant coaches, looking to build off the success of last season, when they made it to the CNE semifinals after beating 4th-seeded Curry College 4-1.

The Bison will be led by senior forward Zach Vandale, who looks to build on a strong campaign last season. Joining Vandale as assistant captains are defensemen Dylan Ray and Luca Ricci, who combined for 30 points a season ago, with Ricci earning First Team All-CNE honors. Forward Justin Massa rounds out the leadership group after recording 13 points during his freshman campaign, highlighted by a hat trick against Western New England University on February 6, 2026.

Nichols returns sophomore Ryan Henry and senior Nick Anderson and welcomes freshman Cooper Flemming and Xaus Landry between the pipes. Henry led the way for the Bison last year, appearing in 17 games and posting an 8-7-1 record with a .929 save percentage and a 2.39 goals against average. He recorded a season-high 45 saves against Connecticut College in the championship game victory in the Boston Landing Collegiate Invitational to earn Boston Landing Collegiate Invitational Most Valuable Player.

The Bison will kick off their season on Friday, October 30th, when they compete in the first round of the WooCup against Worcester State University. Their first Conference of New England matchup will be on the road against Johnson& Wales University on November 6.

Roger Williams University
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster (returners: 25 | graduated: 1 | other departures: 5 | newcomers: 10)
2025-26 Results (6-18-1, 4-15-1 CNE) | 2025-26 Overall Stats | 2025-26 Postseason Finish: Did not qualify for the CNE tournament

The Roger Williams men’s ice hockey team returns to Driscoll Arena for its second season of varsity competition after going 6-18-1 overall and 4-15-1 in Conference of New England play in 2025-26. Head coach Chris Hall and assistants Collin Felton, Matt Fawcett and Tom McCarthy will guide the Hawks as they build on the foundation of the program’s inaugural NCAA season.

The Hawks return their top three scorers from last season. Sophomore forward Daxton St. Hilaire led the team with 19 points on eight goals and 11 assists. Sophomore forward JJ Alger added 15 points (8 goals, 7 assists), while sophomore forward Aidan Radic recorded 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in 18 games. On the blue line, sophomore Colin Kwak led the team with 65 blocked shots.

In goal, sophomore Jacob Jaslow returns after appearing in 21 games last season. He finished with a 6-13-1 record, a .910 save percentage, a 3.49 goals-against average and one shutout. The Hawks also return goaltenders Niko Charles and Cam Prodin and add junior Maxim Zinchenko, who joins RWU from Johnson & Wales.

The Hawks welcome 10 newcomers, including six first-year players and four transfers. Roger Williams opens exhibitions Friday, Oct. 23, against Salve Regina at Driscoll Arena in Fall River, Massachusetts. The Hawks open the regular season on Firday, Oct. 30 when they travel to take on UMass Dartmouth. The Hawks begin CNE play Friday, Nov. 6, when they host Curry College.

The Salve Regina University men’s ice hockey team enters the 2026-27 season with momentum from a 20-win campaign and an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. Under head coach Jay Punsky, the Seahawks bring an experienced group into CNE competition, including junior forward Jack Arizo, who recorded 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points last season. Senior forward Parker Mabbett added seven goals and 13 assists, while fellow seniors Aidan Coupe and Karsten Kruska each contributed 19 points.

Junior defenseman Cody Plaza returns after producing seven goals and 10 assists, joined on the blue line by experienced contributors Teddie Hember, Grant Hineman and Aidan Elkins. Senior goaltender Selby Warren and sophomore Brady Quackenbush return between the pipes, with first-year goaltenders Kai Weigel and Silas Stanek-Streed joining the group.

Salve Regina opens the season Friday, October 30, at American International College before hosting the Yellow Jackets October 31 at Howard Rink. The Seahawks begin CNE play November 6 at home against Western New England before traveling to Springfield for the second game of the series November 7.

Suffolk University
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster (returners: 23 | graduated: 7 | newcomers: 9)
2025-26 Results (17-9-1, 15-4-1 CNE) | 2025-26 Overall Stats | 2025-26 Postseason Finish: CNE Semifinals – third seed

Suffolk men's ice hockey enters the 2026-27 season looking to build off one of the best campaigns in program history. The Rams went 17-9-1 overall and 15-4-1 in Conference of New England (CNE) play, posting the best conference record since joining the CNE and the program's most wins since the 1990-91 season, when Suffolk won 22 games. The historic campaign also earned head coach Shawn McEachern CNE Coach of the Year honors.

McEachern will have plenty of experience back at his disposal, as Suffolk returns 23 players, including its top 13 scorers from a season ago. The Rams also bring back all three of their 2025-26 All-CNE selections, led by first-team honoree junior Marko Giourof. Giourof produced a team-best 32 points on 13 goals and 19 assists, becoming just the second Ram to earn CNE First Team honors since the 1999-2000 season. Junior Aidan O'Connell also returns after earning All-CNE Third Team recognition following a 27-point campaign with 15 goals and 12 assists.

Suffolk also brings back goaltender sophomore Austin McNicholas, who started and played in all but one of the Rams' 27 games in his rookie campaign. The Clarence, New York, native posted a 2.05 goals-against average and .910 save percentage to go 16-9-1 in net. McNicholas became the first Suffolk goaltender to earn an all-league honor since 2014-15 and the youngest Ram to receive an all-league award since 2007-08.

The Rams put together one of the strongest stretches in program history last season, going 10 games unbeaten to close the regular season, the longest known unbeaten streak in program history. Suffolk earned the sixth seed in the CNE Tournament and hosted just its fourth postseason game all-time, rolling past Johnson & Wales, 8-1, in the CNE First Round before falling to second-seeded and No. 7 nationally ranked Endicott, 4-1, in the semifinals. Along the way, Suffolk also defeated a pair of top-15 opponents for the first time since 2022, taking down then-No. 12 Endicott, 3-2, Nov. 21 and then-No. 7 UNE, 4-2, Jan. 9.

Suffolk opens the 2026-27 season on the road Friday, Oct. 30, against Salem State at 7:00 p.m. at Richard M. Rockett Arena.

University of New England
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster (returners: 20 | graduated: 9 | newcomers: 10)
2025-26 Results (21-7-0, 17-3-0 CNE) | 2025-26 Overall Stats | 2025-26 Postseason Finish: CNE Final (#1 Seed), NCAA 1st Round

The University of New England and 12th-year head coach Kevin Swallow return three all-conference honorees from last year's regular-season champs and tournament finalists, including CNE Player of the Year, Dominic Murphy. The senior forward (11 goals, 30 assists) was also a second team All-America selection for the second time.

Senior forward Drew Olivieri (19 goals, 23 assists) is a two-time All-CNE performer, as well. Both Olivieri and Murphy were top-10 nationally in points/game last season. Graduate goaltender Harrison Chesney (20-7-0, 1.76 GAA, 5 ShO) was a second team pick in 2025-26 during his first campaign with the Nor'easters, and top-5 nationally in goals against average and shutouts.

A year ago, UNE was rated among the best seven in the country for offense (4.32/game), defense (1.93/game), margin (+2.39), and power play (27.4%), while setting an NCAA Division III record with a 97.0% penalty kill.

The Nor'easters figure to get contributions from senior forward Ryan Hadland (18 points), junior forward Cam Bergeman (17 points), and junior forward Ike Keller (15 points), among others. Sophomore defenseman Seth Murch is the only one returning to the blue line with regular experience from last season.

Wentworth Institute of Technology
2026 Schedule | 2026 Roster (returners: 16 | graduated: 8 | newcomers: 11)
2025 Results (6-17-2, 5-14-1 CNE) | 2025 Overall Stats | 2025 Postseason Finish: N/A

Head Coach Jason Smith enters his first season in charge of the Wentworth men’s hockey program in the 2026-2027 season. Smith joins the Leopards after seven seasons at Brown University. He will see the return of 16 players from last season’s squad, including Nicholas Ramm, Desmond Johnson, and George Kolovos, three of last year’s top five scorers.

Xavier Vaillancourt, Nolan Pecora, and Dane Probe will all return to the team to lead the offense. Shea Thibault and Danny Phelan also return to the Leopards’ blueline while Topher Chirico and Will Seagrave return in goal.

Smith will have the services of 11 newcomers this season, including four defensemen, six forwards, and one goaltender. The freshman class will look to make their mark early in Smith’s tenure and get the Leopards off to a strong start this season.

Western New England University Men’s Ice Hockey
2026-27 Schedule | 2026-27 Roster (returners: 15 | graduated: 8 | newcomers: 16)
2025-26 Results: 6-19-0 (4-16-0 CNE) | 2025-26 Overall Stats | 2025-26 Finish: 9th

Under second-year head coach, the Western New England men’s ice hockey team will have a new place to call home in 2026-27, playing all home games at Smead Arena in Springfield, returning to the rink for the first time since 2016 after spending the last nine seasons at the Olympia Ice Center. Smith’s Golden Bears will look to improve on last year’s six-win season, which was highlighted by a Conference of New England victory over No. 7 Endicott on home ice.

31 Golden Bears will lace up the skates this upcoming season, as the Golden Bears welcome in 16 new first-year and transfer student-athletes to the squad. The Blue and Gold will look for new offense this season following the graduation of three of its top four scorers from a season ago. Michael Bottrell (Alliston, Ontario) returns to the lineup for Western New England for his sophomore season, after putting up four goals and six assists a season ago. Juniors Mathew Fortin (Thetford Mines, Quebec) and Philippe Longchamps (Sainte-Claire, Quebec) will look to build off their 2025-26 seasons, combining for seven goals and 15 points overall.

On defense, the Golden Bears will look to Nick Theodos (Tewksbury, Mass.), who anchored the blue line with 23 games played last season, picking up six assists and 24 blocked shots on the ice. Two-way player Gavin Mastrodonato (Powell River, British Columbia) leads all returners with 25 blocked shots for Western New England last season. Joshua Kingsbury (Porcupine, Ontario) and Kyle Garland (Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland) are also slated to make an impact for the Blue and Gold on the back end.

In goal, Western New England returns all three goalkeepers that saw action last season, including Luca Scaglione (Philadelphia, Pa.), who registered a .925 save percentage for the season, which is now a single-season record in the program’s history, while dotting a 3.53 goals against average last season. Nikita Volsky (Minsk, Belarus) played in 12 games for the Golden Bears last season, coming away with a .895 save percentage in his first season in Blue and Gold. Lochlan Lauer (Aspen, Colo.) helped WNE steal a road win at the midway point of the season last year at MCLA, making 26 saves overall.

The 2026-27 campaign starts with three road games for the Golden Bears, opening on Friday, October 30, at 7:35 PM, traveling to Westfield State University. WNE’s home-opener sees Salve Regina University visit Smead Arena on Saturday, November 7, for a 4:00 PM puck drop.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE OF NEW ENGLAND

Originally founded in 1984 as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), and reconstituted as the Conference of New England (CNE) in 2024, the CNE is an NCAA Division III athletic conference composed of 11 full member and nine associate member institutions throughout the New England region. Its membership aims to provide student-athletes with a positive experience in their pursuit of excellence through high academic standards, quality competition and a meaningful student life. The Conference administers championships in 21 intercollegiate sports.